SINGAPORE: A man posed a question, “Is it cringy to be proud of your service in NS?” on r/NationalServiceSG, a Reddit forum, after he was humiliated for hanging a ‘keychain with his unit embroidered on it’ on his backpack.
In his post, he explained he proudly displayed the keychain as a keepsake from his time in service, believing it represented the camaraderie and experiences he shared with his fellow servicemen.
He also mentioned it was a gift from his Officer Commanding when he ORD’d (operationally ready date) earlier this year. However, while at university, a classmate asked him why he still carried the keychain.
“He (classmate) said it makes it look like I peaked in NS, and it’s really cringy,” the man wrote, adding that the pride he felt to be in NS service was completely justified.
He argued that those two years shaped who he is today, and carrying around the keychain is no different from people who still wear their school t-shirts years after graduation.
For him, it was a way of honouring an important chapter of his life.
So, he couldn’t help but wonder: Why is it seen as cringe-worthy when it comes to NS? He asked, “I wanted to know what everyone thinks about this; where’s the line between cringe and not cringe?”
“You have every right to be proud of your service!”
In the comments section, many urged him to ignore his classmates’ comments, saying that showing pride in one’s service is totally valid.
One individual said, “Hang your head high. You served two years for your nation. Unlike what some people might say or act, your service is important and valued, at least by the rest of us who’ve also served.
Which is more than what you can say about some people. Hang your keychain with pride.”
Another commented, “You have every right to be proud of your service!
The university campus on which your classmate made that remark would not exist without you and the rest of us Singaporean men proudly defending this nation.
We are the reason Singapore exists and prospers today, and we have every right to feel proud!”
Some shared their own stories of how they still carry items from their NS days and emphasized everyone has different experiences and memories tied to their service.
One individual shared, “It’s a cool thing. I had my battalion keychain, and I still use stuff from my battalion days 20 years ago.
I wore my unit t-shirt to the passing of a fellow Guardsman a few years back. You worked hard; carry it with pride.”
A few others also criticized the classmate for mocking him. One individual expressed, “He probably hated his NS as much as you liked it.
Some people like this always look at the pessimistic side of things; don’t let his comments wear you down. If you felt proud of your NS life, don’t let someone else steal that pride from you.”
Another remarked, “His perspective and the fact that he actually voiced it out is what I find to be cringe.”
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)